Starbucks checks for juice tampering after woman is arrested

Starbucks shops in the San Jose area were checking for possible tampering after a woman allegedly tried to sneak tainted bottles of orange juice into a refrigerator at a Starbucks coffee shop.

A customer reported seeing the woman remove two bottles of orange juice from her purse and place them in a refrigerated display case at the store, the Mercury News reported.

When the customer alerted store staff the woman fled.

After examining the bottles and detecting what they described as a “toxic smell,” store employees called 911.

Police tracked 50-year-old Ramineh Behbehanian to her home about five miles away after a witness provided her license plate number. She was arrested on suspicion of attempted felony poisoning.

Tests revealed she had mixed rubbing alcohol with the juice, police said. Investigators said they did not have a motive.

Starbucks spokesman Zack Hutson told the San Francisco Chronicle that other shops in the San Jose area were checking their products for signs of tampering just to be safe. All juices were removed and thrown out at the location where the alleged tampering occurred, he added.